After being introduced to the main coaching staff and some of the key players representing the team’s culture, Hard Knocks wasted no time branding Detroit in episode two. The episode plays some old-time videos about Detroit, emphasizing the culture this team embraces is much deeper than just the football team. The show introduces the “Detroit vs. Everybody” motto, a phrase anyone from the Great Lake state is well aware of.
The team then dramatically gets into a two-minute drill after the show’s introduction, preparing for the team’s first preseason game. Goff marches his offense down the field rather easily before finally completing a touchdown with second-year wide receiver Aman-Ra St. Brown. Campbell caps off the drive passionately, stating, “this is when we find out who we can count on in games.”
The Hard Knocks Rookie
Hard Knocks then introduces sixth-round rookie Malcolm Rodriguez, a linebacker out of Oklahoma State. ‘Rodrigo’ has had an excellent camp. The linebackers unit is the team’s biggest hole, so having a day one impact player from the draft’s sixth round would be extraordinary. “If he’s the better guy, he’s the better guy,” Kelvin Sheppard, linebackers coach, said to his linebacker unit in the film room. If Rodriguez keeps this up, he’ll be on the field Week 1 as a starter.
The Hard Knocks Stars
Deandre Swift is someone fantasy football players have circled on their draft boards this year, and it’s for a reason. All the beliefs inside the Lions organization are positive towards Swift. The coaching staff is hard on him, with good intentions. They believe he can be the best back in the league.
The show quickly transitions from current running back to legendary icon Barry Sanders, who visited training camp and was mic’d up for Hard Knocks. Sanders recalls how different training camp was back in the 90s and asks about rookie Aidan Hutchinson.
Campbell calls Hutchinson over to the side and gives him great praise. Hutchinson was the highest graded rookie in Week 1 of the preseason.
The Up-And-Comer
The show then introduced the second-year wideout, Aman-Ra St. Brown. Saying St. Brown plays with a chip on his shoulder would be an understatement. St. Brown lists every receiver taken before him in the draft and explains how it motivated him to prove every team that passed on him wrong. St. Brown broke the Lions’ record for receptions by a rookie. Aman-Ra explains his routine of catching balls out of the machine to improve his hands. Clearly, this has worked, as Aman-Ra St. Brown was ranked 1st amongst rookies and 9th in the NFL when it comes to drop rate, according to PFF.
The Hard Knocks Backup
Oddly enough, backup quarterback David Blough gets a formal introduction to the show before Jared Goff. However, we quickly learn they use Blough as a way to introduce his Olympic runner wife. No disrespect to Blough or his wife, but I don’t care. More Lions, please.
The Speech
Dan Campbell tells his team he will go absolute ape shit if any starters are not focused on the backups at the end of the upcoming preseason game. This isn’t too important of a detail, but it shows the emphasis on the team over the player.
The Game
The Lions played the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 of the preseason. Although the Lions didn’t get the win and lost in dramatic fashion, seeing and hearing the conversations on the sideline is everything you dream of as a fan. If you didn’t catch the game live, Hard Knocks does a great job showing how much of a BEAST Aidan Hutchison is. We shouldn’t overreact too much to preseason, but the progress we’ve seen from him is exactly what you want from a potential superstar.
After getting more Malcolm Rodruiguz clips in the preseason game, we are given more David Blough and his wife screen time. Again, why? Oh yeah, because he fumbled the ball with two minutes left and cost the Lions the game. The Lions are now in the market for a backup Quarterback. This isn’t a joke either, seriously!
After Atlanta scores a miraculous touchdown, David Blough gets one more chance to be the star of the episode; there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say. As we know, the Lions would lose to the Falcons. Campbell expresses to his team in the locker room how they need to focus on the little things. There is still a lot of learning to do, and that is exactly what preseason games are for.
We are blessed with more David Blough TV time, exactly what we all needed from a backup quarterback. What a phenomenal way to end the episode!
Additional Information
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